Keeping the Faith v2
by Syreene
Summary: **COMPLETED!** - Kurt encounters a mysterious woman on the run from the Externals...R & R please! :) Chapters got messed up and I had to re-load it--lost 9 reviews! :(
1. Beginnings

The storm was raging late into the night as Kurt walked through the old church. He had volunteered to keep the late watch duties and knew that his fellow brothers, try as they might to accommodate his appearance, were more than glad to give it to him. Most of the parishioners had gone already, and those who came to the church this late at night were usually troublemakers who were scared off by his appearance. He currently found himself alone in the quiet hall with his thoughts as he tended the prayer candles at the small altar. "Better to light a candle then to curse the darkness." he says with a smile as he lights one of the small candles, the soft glow radiating over his indigo fur.-- Funny, didn't Herr Professor tell me that when he rescued me?-- With an irritated twitch of his tail, Kurt turns and stares at the large figure of the crucifixion over the altar.  
  
-- I gave up that life.didn't I --  
  
The lightning crackles outside and a thunderous boom echoes through the hall. As it fades, however, Kurt realizes that the pounding noise is continuing, and coming from the entrance. --So much for peace and quiet.let's just hope it's not another drunk looking for a place to sleep-- With a weary sigh he walks to the doors and opens them to the force of the driving rain.  
  
"Can I help you, my?" he is unable to finish his sentence as a semi- conscious woman looking very much like a drowned rat drops at his feet.  
  
"Sanctuary." he barely hears her plead over the storm.  
  
"Unglaublich," Kurt mutters as he bends down to help her into the church. As he picks her up into his arms he notices a dart sticking out of her shoulder. "Was?" The fur rises on the back of Kurt's neck as he peers into the storm, old instincts coming to the forefront. Kurt quickly grabs the woman into his arms and closes the church doors. He then lays the unconscious woman in one of the pews and proceeds to lock the doors. "Funny, I don't remember praying for more excitement in my life this morning." he says to himself as the large bar slides into place over the doors.  
  
--You just didn't wish for it out loud, Kurt. You can already feel the adrenaline rush at the thought of protecting a damsel in distress--  
  
Kurt bends over the woman and gently pulls the dart out of her shoulder. The woman registers the pain with a soft groan but otherwise doesn't move. "I apologize, fraulien, because this won't feel very good right now, but I need to get you somewhere safe." He picks her up off the pew, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, and teleports in a puff of black and purple smoke.  
  
They reappear with a soft popping sound in a small but cozy chamber underneath the church. Kurt lays the unconscious woman gently onto his cot and checks her pulse. He feels her strong heartbeat and exhales a relieved sigh. "At least they just saw fit to put you to sleep, fraulien. I will make sure that is the last thing they will get to do to you." Kurt removes his priest's robes and quickly changes into a black long sleeved shirt and pants. "Bad enough if the church gets damaged, then to have a rampaging demonic priest associated with them," Kurt says with a self-depreciating laugh. "You should be safe in my quarters while I deal with your pursuers. Auf wiederzehn, meine fraulien." Kurt then disappears again in a puff of smoke.  
  
-----------  
  
"I thought they had a thing against attacking each other on holy ground?"  
  
"That's why he hired us, idiot! He knew she would run to the church if she got away, and since HE can't go in there after her, we can! Got it? Now pay attention, before you blow us all up!"  
  
The sounds of the arguing voices rise up to where Kurt is perched over them on one of the many gothic gargoyles outside the church. --Blow up? We can't have that now. It's too difficult to see if there are any more of them out there, so the best thing to do is let these fumblers in where I can keep them under control.-- Kurt then disappears again with a puff of smoke.  
  
"Damn, Frank, what did you eat?"  
  
"Shut the fuck up! I almost got this." a loud clunk interrupts Frank and the door swings open slightly.  
  
"Whoa.are you sure about this?"  
  
"Relax.you shot her with the sleep dart, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So all we got to do is deal with some old farts in dresses and bring her to the dude for our money. Simple." Frank then pulls out a gun in his right hand and edges through the door, the other man following quickly behind.  
  
"I don't know about this, Frank.money or not, this is a church! Can't we just wait till she comes out again?"  
  
"I don't give a shit about old farts telling me I'm a sinner! I know I am, and I am going to be a rich sinner, at that!" Frank growls. "Now help me look for her! You go that way." Frank points with his gun to the doors to the right of the hall. "I'll look for her here."  
  
"O--okay.I still don't like this, though," whimpers the other man as he goes to the doors.  
  
--This could provide me with the opening I need--  
  
The other man creeps through the door into the dark hallway beyond. "Aw, man.where's my flashlight?" He fumbles through his jacket pockets and pulls out the small flashlight into his shaking hand.  
  
"Why have you desecrated the house of God?" Kurt whispers from the shadows, making sure his voice echoes through the hallway.  
  
"Jesus!" the man exclaims as he jumps and drops his flashlight, the force of the impact turning off the light. "Shit!" he falls to his knees and frantically searches with his hands. Kurt sneaks up behind him in the darkness and whispers again.  
  
"You dare bring weapons of violence here?"  
  
"I.I was just doing it for the money, I swear!" the man pleads as he begins to shake. "We weren't going to hurt her.it's not like she can be hurt, anyway! P-p-please don't hurt me, God! I'll start going to church again, I swear!"  
  
"Save your mortal soul, and leave this place, sinner.NOW!"  
  
With a quick -bamf-- Kurt grabs the frightened thug and teleports him into a dumpster in the back alley of the church. He then slams the lid of the dumpster and is unable to resist a last remark to the frightened man.  
  
"And remember, God will be watching you."  
  
Kurt leaps into the shadows of the gargoyles above and chuckles to himself as he sees the hopefully reformed man jump out of the dumpster and run down the alley screaming. "Now for the more dangerous one."  
  
Kurt teleports back into the church and quickly finds the man called Frank rummaging underneath the church altar. "Might as well make a few extra bucks with this junk while I am at it." Frank mutters to himself.  
  
--All right, that's it--  
  
Kurt quickly teleports behind Frank, grabs him securely by the shirt, and then teleports again, this time out onto the high spires of the church. He wraps his tail around one of the rails for balance and holds the flailing thug out over the edge of the roof.  
  
"Aaaah! What are you going to do to me you freaking demon?" Frank yells as he grabs Kurt's wrist in desperation.  
  
Kurt lifts the man up so he can stare into his face, his fangs bared and yellow eyes glaring. "I am going to make you thankful that some of us actually believe in the Word of God, you piece of filth! How dare you come into a church and desecrate it with your thieving ways and intentions of doing harm to an innocent!"  
  
With sudden awareness Frank spits out, "You're not a demon, you're a fucking mutie!" He then grabs his gun from his back waistband and swings it around to point at Kurt. Kurt grabs the hand with the gun and lets go of his shirt with the other, quickly dropping Frank a foot and swinging him into the side of the church with a thump.  
  
"Apparently you didn't get my message." Kurt says with a growl. "If it weren't for my beliefs in something that you have obvious scorn for, you would be a smear on the pavement! Understand?" Kurt then grabs the gun away from Frank and teleports him to the back alley behind the church. He lifts Frank up to his face and growls menacingly at the bloody nosed and barely conscious thug. "I suggest you learn to pray soon, you ignorant bigot! Pray that we never cross paths again!" With a grunt of disgust Kurt turns the man around and shoves him down the alleyway into the rain and darkness. 


	2. Introductions

****Thanks to all for the nice reviews! It's funny.when I first started this story I came up with the last half first, and now I am trying to figure out how to start it :P. To answer some, yes, my favorite fuzzy elf is trying to become a priest in the comics. Although I have never been to church and don't find myself particularly religious, I respect faith and hope to do Kurt justice. I am a fan-girl though, so I hope I don't ruffle too many feathers by adding in some romance. ;) - Syreene ****  
  
Kurt teleports back to his quarters and dons his priest robes again before tending to the still unconscious woman. He sits beside her on the bed and takes a moment to get a good look at the woman that someone would hire thugs to capture. Her long red hair, though wet and matted, has started to curl in wisps around her face, and Kurt brushes them gently away with his long fingers as she stirs slightly and turns into his hand. "Don't leave me again," she mumbles. The gentle plea tugs at Kurt's heart as she clings to his hand like a lifeline.  
  
"Fraulien," Kurt says gently as he tries to wake her up. "I need to know who you are and why people are after you. I don't want any more harm to come to the church." -Or her, Kurt. You joined the church to help people, but they treat you like the proverbial Quasimodo and try to keep you away from the parishioners. Now a beautiful woman has been dropped in your lap needing help, and you're ready to leap at the chance-The woman begins to stir awake and Kurt realizes with a start that he doesn't have his image inducer with him! -Shieste! Just what she needs to wake up to.-- he quickly pulls the hood of his robe over his face as best he can as he sees her eyelids flutter open to show startlingly bright green eyes. -Mein Gott.now I know why-  
  
"Wh-where am I?" she mutters as she blinks rapidly and starts to look around. When she sees the hooded figure sitting at the foot of her bed she jolts upright and backs up quickly to the other edge of the bed. A pained look crosses her face as she pleads, "Why can't you just leave me alone? Haven't you done enough?"  
  
"Fraulien, it is all right. No one is going to hurt you. I found you on the steps of our church." Kurt explains softly. "I am glad to see that you are well."  
  
"The church.then I made it," she says to herself as she looks around more slowly, taking in the sparse surroundings with a plain cross hanging on the wall. Before Kurt can stop her, she moves across the bed and grabs him in a big hug, her head resting on his shoulder. "Thank you, father, for helping me. I didn't want to cause the church any trouble, but I didn't know where else to go."  
  
Not knowing what to do lest she discover his appearance, Kurt gently hugs her back and consoles her. "It is more than all right, fraulien.we are always here to help, but I am afraid I am not a Father. I am still a student of the faith, and have yet to complete my teachings. I am Brother Wagner. May I ask your name?"  
  
"Brother?" she whispers in surprise before she sits back and smiles. "I apologize. My name is Romana Verone." She holds out her hand and tilts her head slightly as she tries to peer into the darkness of Kurt's hood. With a resigned sigh, Kurt closes his eyes and lightly clasps her hand within his larger blue furred one and waits for the screams that always come. "My pleasure, Romana." After a few tense moments Kurt realizes that there isn't any screaming, and she's still holding his hand. He opens his eyes to see Romana looking at his hand and gently rubbing the fur on the back of his hand with her thumb. "Wow.I had no idea you were furry," she says to herself.  
  
"Excuse me?" Kurt says in surprise, not expecting this kind of reaction from someone who first sees his mutation. "Goodness," Romana says with a start as she drops his hand and looks up with a smile. "My manners have just flown out the window, haven't they? Afraid I haven't had much reason to use them, lately." She reaches up with a sheepish grin to touch his hood. "You don't need to hide your face, Brother Wagner. I've seen you before in the church late at night, tending the candles. I was just surprised because I didn't know you had fur."  
  
"No need to apologize, Romana," Kurt says with a smile, trying not to think about how good it felt when she was stroking his hand. He reaches up to pull his hood down and his hand brushes hers. "You just caught me by surprise as well. I usually get a much different reaction." Noticing the sad look in her eyes, Kurt quickly changes the subject. "If you are feeling better, would you like to accompany me on my rounds and tell me why strange men would want to shoot you with darts?" Kurt stands and offers his hand.  
  
"I would love to accompany you, Brother Wagner, but you may not believe me as to why you found me on your doorstep." She says as she takes his hand and stands beside him.  
  
"Take a look at me, Romana," Kurt says with a bow and swish of his tail as he shows her the way to the main hall," and tell me that I don't look like someone who might believe the impossible."  
  
With a laugh that echoes down the brick hall, Romana concedes, "You have a point, Brother Wagner."  
  
"I have more than just one," Kurt says with a grin, "and please, you can call me Kurt." 


	3. Confessions

**Apologies for only part of a chapter before.I am trying to at least have something new each day.hopefully this plot twist will make up for it. It's been awhile since I read X-men, so forgive me if I fudge continuity a bit. :P **  
  
"So you said you had seen my face before in the church at night?" Kurt asks Romana as he straightens the altar so recently rummaged by her pursuers. "I would think if I had seen such a woman as you, I would surely remember her," he finishes with a smile.  
  
"Well," Romana says with a slight blush as she runs her fingers through her hair and fluffs it out to dry, "I usually don't want anybody to know I am here. I like to come here at night whenever I am feeling scared or lonely."  
  
"And when you got in trouble with those men, you decided to run here?" Romana nods and Kurt continues, "I overheard them talking, and one of them said that there was a man who couldn't come into the church, so he sent them to come after you. What does that all mean, Romana?" Kurt asks as he sits in the front pew with his hands clasped in front of him. Romana bites the side of her lip as she looks at Kurt, the battle to tell her secret warring across her face. "If I was fully ordained we could do this in the confessional, but I though you might appreciate a friendly talk, instead." He says with a laughing grin.  
  
"I guess that's the other reason I ran here.I've been wanting to tell someone for so long." Romana says as she turns her back to Kurt and stares up at the cross above the altar. "They say confession is good for the soul, right?"  
  
"One of the men after you said that you couldn't be hurt. Are you a mutant, Romana? Are they hunting you down because of that?" Kurt asks, a glint of anger shines in his eyes as he finishes the sentence, the thought of the mobs that used to chase him in his youth running through his mind.  
  
"You could say that," Romana says with a sigh as she sits beside Kurt on the pew and clasps her hands between her knees. "They've got it in their mind that I have to belong to their elitist group because of the way I was born. They've been hunting me down for years, and I am getting tired. The constant moving and hiding, never making any friends, " she says sadly. -Never falling in love, either-  
  
"Why do they think you belong to their group? Who are they, Romana? I would like to help you, but I need to know more." Kurt presses.  
  
"They say I have to join them, because," she turns her head away from Kurt as she mutters, "because I can't die. They call themselves the Externals, and say I have to join their little club because I am like them, at that it's my destiny to rule the world with them. I am NOTHING like them! They do their best to destroy everyone and everything till people have nowhere to go but to them. All I want to do is live in peace." Romana turns back with an embarrassed chuckle. "You probably think you need to call the mental ward now, right?"  
  
"Gideon!" the single word falls from Kurt's lips as he stares at Romana like he's seen a ghost.  
  
Romana's eyes grow wide as she looks at Kurt. "You know them." Her body language changes visibly as she places her hands on either side of her on the pew, ready to push off and run if she has to.  
  
"I have run into them before, Romana, but you have nothing to fear from me," Kurt says gently. "I guess this a night for confessions, is it not?" He says with a lopsided smile as he looks up at the cross. With a sigh he turns back to Romana and leans back in the pew and asks, "Have you ever heard of Xavier's School for the Gifted?"  
  
"Xavier? Didn't he just announce his big plan for the future of mutants on the news?" Kurt nods and Romana continues, "I thought about trying to go his school once. I thought maybe I could find some sort of shelter there, but I haven't been school-age in a looong time."  
  
"You don't have to be a child to go to the school, Romana. Xavier's accepts all kinds, which was fortunate for me," Kurt says with a chuckle. "Not too long ago, I was still a student and boarder there." -Until things started to change, and you felt useless- "Anyway," Kurt continues with a slight growl, "years ago some of the more powerful students had an encounter with Gideon and the Externals. They claimed to be immortal mutants and one of them could see the future, and he believed that one of the students was to be their next 'High Lord.' It's just that." -This psychic vampire went insane and killed them all? The Legacy Virus ran rampant and withered them away, one by one? You might be insane and making this all up?-"They were wiped out, Romana. Whoever is hunting you, it can't be them. Maybe I could take you somewhere where you can get some help?" Romana mutters something under her breath as she quickly looks away.  
  
"I hoped that coming here to you would have helped me, Kurt. I thought of all people, a mutant who had such faith in a higher power could have believed me." Romana bites back a sob as she pushes herself off the pew. "I guess now I will just have to show you." Romana quickly runs down the isle and slams through the church doors into the still pouring rain, the winds blowing the doors back closed behind her.  
  
"Romana! Wait!" Kurt yells as he teleports to the doors and runs out into the rain. -Good going, Kurt. She runs to you and the church for help, and you do nothing but alienate her. Some help you are- Kurt hears her running around the back of the church and he quickly follows her, his fears about what she might do to prove her story punching him in the gut as he sees her standing in the rain, a gun pointed to her head. "Mein Gott, Romana! What do you think you are doing?" -Sheiste! I forgot to dispose of the gun when I took care of those men!-  
  
"Merely making a point, Kurt." Romana says with a sad grin as her hand clenches on the trigger.  
  
"Nein!" Kurt yells as he teleports himself to Romana's side and attempts to grab the gun. Unbelievable to Kurt, Romana ducks underneath his grab before he reaches her and pulls the trigger, the force of the bullet at her temple whipping her head back and knocking her into a puddle on the ground.  
  
"ROMANA!" Kurt screams as he crouches over her and examines her prone body in panic. -Dear God, let her have been telling the truth!-In Kurt's panicked state and the pouring rain he fails to notice two figures stepping out of a limousine parked in the back alley.  
  
"My, how melodramatic, dear! Please do Shakespeare next, he always wrote such good death scenes!"  
  
Kurt cradles Romana's still form in his arms and looks up to see a woman clad in vinyl high heeled boots, short skirt, bustier and raincoat. A gaunt looking man with a vacant look in his eyes stands behind her holding an umbrella over her head. Kurt looks into her face, and feels his soul shrink away from the look of complete evil in her eyes.  
  
"Selene!" 


	4. Confrontations

Confrontations  
  
The psychic vampire clasps her hands in joy and bounces on her heels like an excited schoolgirl. "Oh goodie, you know who I am! This will make your death even more enjoyable when I suck the juicy fear from your soul." Selene looks over Kurt with an appraising eye from top to bottom. "Too bad I don't recognize you, though. A handsome priest as your self would have looked good in my collection. Now wake the girl and hand her over, and I will make your last moments of life glorious to behold!"  
  
"Fuck! This headache is going to last all day." mutters Romana as she stirs and grabs the side of her head where she shot herself only minutes before.  
  
--Romana, thank God--  
  
"It was silly of you to try and run from the Church, my dear. What did you think you were going to accomplish?" Selene asks with a disapproving pout of her lips. Romana gets up with a hand from Kurt and discretely slips the gun into the back of her pants.  
  
"I was getting tired, Selene, and I thought I could make a friend." Romana says as she stares defiantly in Selene's eyes.  
  
Kurt remains silent, thanking the powers that be that he never encountered Selene with the X-Men before. --She doesn't know my powers, so we still might have a chance to get away if we play this right-He places his hand on Romana's shoulder and squeezes gently in support. --I won't leave you, Romana-  
  
"Well dear, you know what they say about friends. You win some," Selene says with a sly grin as she signals the limousine, "and you lose some."  
  
"Heartless bitch," Romana mutters as she looks quickly away to blink away a tear.  
  
"It's too bad your previous friend couldn't escape with you, because then you could share your deaths together," Selene says with a delicately raised eyebrow. " This is turning out to be my kind of night, however, because I get to savor the pain and sorrow growing in you before I kill you. Any last words?" Her eyes start to shine with a red glow as she holds out a gloved hand towards her. Romana feels a sharp pain inside her chest and a tingling feeling of energy through her fingers. As she looks back at Selene she can't help but notice a bright green glow, coming not from Selene, but from the limousine? The glow continues to grow until it explodes out the windshield of the limousine with a shattering force, the shards of glass coming at them like a hundred knives.  
  
"Not again," Romana cries.  
  
Selene ducks behind her leather coat and is quickly shielded by her servant holding the umbrella, the shards of glass impaling themselves into his back with a sickening thud. Kurt ducks behind a dumpster and tries to grab Romana with him, but is unable to as the glowing ball of energy slams into her chest and lifts her off the ground. It doesn't throw her back with the force, however, but engulfs her in a blinding glow as she hovers above the ground. Her head is thrown back in a silent scream as the light radiates through her eyes and mouth.  
  
--This may be our only chance. Just let her be okay-Seizing the moment of distraction, Kurt leaps at the glowing Romana and wraps himself around her in a desperate embrace as he teleports away in a puff of swirling smoke.  
  
"NO!" Selene screams as she throws her servant off her with a force that slams him into the side of the limousine. "Her powers MUST be mine!" her eyes burn with an intense red light as her beautiful face twists in demonic anger. She screams into the air for a few seconds and then quickly stops and runs her hands over her face and hair. When she is done, she is once again the smooth skinned seductive woman. With a sniff of disdain she turns and walks to the limousine. She tosses the dead servant off her car and reaches in to grab her cell phone. "One just can't get good help these days."  
  
---  
  
Kurt shudders in the tunnel beneath Selene as she screams. He cradles the unconscious body of Romana in his arms as he crouches in the dim light of her now barely glowing form. "Romana, liebchen, you must wake up! We need to get out of here, now!" he whispers fiercely in her ear.  
  
"Unh-Kurt?" Romana mutters faintly. "Where are we?" she weakly reaches up and rubs her face. "What happened?"  
  
"I was going to ask you that myself, liebchen. But for now, we need to get moving away from here." Kurt says as he helps Romana stand, keeping a hand at her back for support for her still wobbly legs.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Somewhere I am sure she wouldn't expect, and the only thing I could think of at the time," Kurt says rather sheepishly. "We're going to the Morlocks." Romana nods in readiness, her balance retained, and their echoing footsteps are soon the only trace of their flight down the dark tunnel.  
  
**Next chapter will take a little longer, unfortunately. This story has a mind of it's own, and now I have to do some research on the Morlocks before I can continue. Stay tuned! ;) **-Syreene 


	5. Flight

Flight  
  
"So who are the Morlocks, Kurt? We're not talking Wells, here, are we?" Romana asks as Kurt stops to get his bearings. Kurt chuckles to himself and starts to examine the side of the tunnel.  
  
"Nothing so romantic, I'm afraid. Years ago a mutant named Callisto tried to gather a group of mutant outcasts to live in the abandoned subway tunnels under the city. They lived in peace for a while, until," Kurt's voice drifts off. -Until the Marauders came and you, Kitty, and Angel almost died-  
  
"Until what, Kurt?" Romana asks gently as Kurt leans a hand against the wall and hangs his head in memory. "What happened to you?" she whispers to herself as she wipes the tears from her eyes.  
  
Kurt sighs deeply and lifts his head to stare at the markings that signify the Morlocks path in the tunnels. "Very bad things happened here, Romana. I'm not sure if there even ARE any Morlocks left anymore, but at least we can use their tunnels to get across town."  
  
They make their way in an awkward silence for a while, the sounds of dripping condensation and the occasional rat the only noises they hear. Kurt looks back at Romana for a moment and is gifted with a warm smile. -We've only met, and already this strange beauty trusts me to lead her into the unknown. I don't deserve that kind of faith after the way I belittled her earlier. Don't mess this up again, Kurt, because this isn't the last time you want to see that smile- He smiles back and asks, "How are you holding up?"  
  
"Hah, I've been on the run a lot longer than this," Romana laughs. "In fact," Romana grabs her head suddenly and groans in pain.  
  
"Liebchen, what is it?" Kurt asks worriedly as he puts his hands on her shoulders.  
  
Romana raises her head to look at Kurt, but her pupils have turned a solid green. "Someone's coming!" she whispers.  
  
"Hold on to me!" Kurt commands as she wraps her arms around his shoulders and he jumps high into the dark shadows of the tunnel walls above. He covers her body with his as they press into the wall and Kurt blends into the shadows. They wait in tense silence, as the faint sound of footsteps grows nearer.  
  
As nervous as Romana is, she can't help but notice the soft feel of Kurt's fur through her fingers as she holds onto him. Her head is cradled between his neck and shoulder, and she nuzzles his neck for a brief moment, inhaling the smell of brimstone and musk. -I never thought brimstone could smell so good-- Kurt's terse words break her from her reverie as he whispers, "Here they come."  
The noise of footsteps gets louder, along with a snuffling sound, like that of a large dog. -The police wouldn't bother venturing down this far, would they?-Kurt wonders about the possibilities until he finally sees a very large, and pale to the point of being an albino, figure hunched down on all fours and sniffing the ground, soon followed by a young blonde woman wearing jeans, jacket and t-shirt with the word "Freakazoid" emblazoned on the front, her hand gently resting on his shoulder. The albino stops sniffing and sits up in a crouch, his elbows resting on his knees.  
  
"Here, Sally."  
  
"Are you sure, Caliban? We haven't had mutants come down here without us for so long," Sally says doubtfully as she looks around the tunnel intersection.  
  
--Caliban? Could it be that he made it off The Hill to live in the tunnels again? Could other Morlocks still be alive down there?-"Trust me, Romana." Kurt whispers in her ear as he shifts her into his arms and jumps down in front of them. "Salutations, fraulien, Caliban, it is good to see you well again."  
  
Caliban rears up in an offensive stance, but the young blonde gently places her hand on his shoulder again and says with a smile, "No, Caliban. Look." Caliban stares hard for a moment at Kurt as he sets Romana down to stand beside him, and then calms down again, resting back on his haunches.  
  
"Preacher-man."  
  
Sally giggles softly and says, "Yes, Caliban. He's a preacher. I doubt he is intent on doing us any harm. My name is Sally, and you seem to know Caliban. May I ask how?"  
  
"Forgive me, fraulien." Kurt bows at the waist with a flourish of his tail. "I am Kurt Wagner, though once I was known to the Morlocks as Nightcrawler. This lovely young lady is Romana. We encountered some difficulties surface- side that we needed to get away from, and were hoping to use your tunnels to avoid any future problems."  
  
Sally's eyebrows shoot up as Kurt says his X-Men name. "Nightcrawler? Your name has been lauded as one of the fallen of the Mutant Massacre. We had no idea you were still alive!"  
  
Kurt sighs deeply and a grim shadow seems to fall over his face. "Ja, I could say the same about the Morlocks. May we pass?" Sally draws him to the side and Kurt and her whisper back and forth, Kurt's expression getting more grim by the moment.  
  
Romana gazes in deep thought at Kurt, watching the expressions of remembrance, pain, and resolution cross his face. "What happened to you that you have this shadow on your soul?" Romana whispers to herself. She fails to notice that Caliban has moved to sit next to her and also watches the heated conversation. "Preacher-man almost died. Many Morlocks died."  
  
Romana's eyes widen in shock. -Goddess, there must have been a horrible battle here. So much death, and Kurt was caught in the middle of it!-  
  
The conversation soon comes to an end and Kurt takes Romana aside as Caliban goes back to sit next to Sally. "Seems that this won't be as easy as I would have hoped," Kurt mutters darkly.  
  
"What's wrong? Won't they let us through the tunnels?" Romana asks.  
  
"Ja, they will let us thorough, but not before we talk to their leader. If it's really who they say it is, there's no telling what might happen next, so be prepared."  
  
"What's their leader's name?"  
  
Kurt takes a deep breath and stares down the tunnel that leads to a past that he wishes he could forget.  
  
"Callisto."  
  
**I know, I know, I am taking creative license with some loopholes in Marvel continuity. :P** 


	6. Reunion

Reunion  
  
Sally and Caliban guide them through the long dark Morlock tunnels in silence as Romana tries to take in her surroundings. -I never knew such a place existed! If only I had known, all those years I had been running, maybe I could have found a home here. From what I can tell, though-she glances over at Kurt, whose brow is furrowed and lost in brooding thoughts- it may have been just as well I wasn't here. I wish he would talk to me-  
  
Romana's thoughts are interrupted as Sally stops at a bricked over tunnel wall and knocks five times. "We're here." A ripple forms in the middle of the brick and gradually expands to form an archway.  
  
"Where is here?" Romana asks in wonder as they walk through the entrance and it closes behind them to form the brick wall again. Sally turns around with a smile and lifts her arms up to the 'sky'.  
  
"The Alley!"  
  
Romana looks around from their platform at the huge smooth tunnel that seems to go for miles. Various people come and go through the many entrances to the tunnel, some carrying building supplies, some with food. Torches at regular intervals light the long path as they climb down a ladder to the main floor of the Alley. At some of the entrances Romana notices carvings along the edges, as well as beautiful bas-relief's of suns and moons. "This work is amazing," Romana says as she runs her fingers along the radiating waves of the stone sun. "How do you get such detail?"  
  
Sally giggles as she turns to see the object of Romana's praise. "I wish I could take the credit for those, but alas," Sally concentrates for a moment and a blue-tinged field forms around her body, "My powers aren't so artistic in nature." She drops the field and continues, "Shaper is the creative one. He's been helping us truly make the tunnels feel like a home again, instead of an old subway. He can mold stone like clay with a thought."  
  
"Incredible!" Romana mutters to herself as she looks around at their home. Children with mutations that might get them stoned above means nothing below as they run through the tunnels and laugh. A particular small green boy with large red eyes catches Caliban's eye and waves to him.  
  
"Come play, Caliban! We need another for our Frisbee game!"  
  
Caliban looks up to Sally with pleading eyes and she smiles. "Go on, Caliban. I think I can take it from here. Just be careful with the kids." Caliban grins wide, his dangerous looking fangs a sharp contrast to the child's mind inside.  
  
"I'm coming, Artie! Wait up!" he yells as he runs off in a lope on all fours.  
  
They continue walking down the tunnel past others coming and going, till they get to a large rounded alcove shaped out of the wall. A tiered stone bench lines the back of the alcove, with a fire pit being built in the middle by people with large stones. A wiry old woman in dark jeans and a vest with black spiked hair is obviously directing the people in the alcove, her curt commands and quick gestures keeping everything organized.  
  
"Callisto!" Sally shouts to the woman. "I've brought guests!" The woman stops abruptly and turns around, looking like she's going to yell, her grim face tightened in a snarl only magnified by the patch over her left eye. When she notices Kurt standing behind Sally, however, her brow rises in surprise and her face relaxes noticeably.  
  
"I thought you were dead," she says matter-of-factly.  
  
"After zat flood, I could say der same for you und everyone else I see here, Callisto. I am glad to be wrong," Kurt finally speaks. "I see zat you are all hard at work here. Have you finally given up your path of hatred to finally try und make a home?"  
  
Callisto sighs and gazes around the Alley. "The Gene Nation is a thing of the past, Nightcrawler. My hatred of the surface-dwellers has done nothing but destroy us and send my kin to places unimaginable. When I escaped the Hill, I decided that this was my last chance to do things right. We are going to make a home for ourselves away from the hate, to live our lives in peace."  
  
"It does my heart good to hear it, Callisto." Kurt says as he walks up behind her and places a hand on her shoulder. "Too many people have suffered because of hate." As Kurt and Callisto talk, Sally excuses herself and Romana walks into the alcove. As she gets closer she sees that all along the walls of the alcove are carved reliefs of different figures, almost like cave paintings, except much more detailed. -This must be more of Shaper's work-She runs her fingers down the back of a lizard much larger then the other figures when she comes to a scene that makes her stop. A large battle scene is depicted, with many dead surrounding a group in the middle. The main figure holds a large gun and is backed by a man with a harpoon, a woman with long hair, and an animalistic creature almost like a lion standing on two legs. -Could this be the massacre they mentioned?- Romana searches through the figures, coming across a woman shattering someone against a wall, another woman surrounded by cracks in the ground, and a swirling tornado with the head of a man. She gasps as she follows the trail of the objects shooting out of the tornado into the carved figure of a man with a spiked tail and pointed ears. -Kurt! Goddess, no wonder he didn't want to talk about it!-Romana caresses the stone carving of Kurt with her fingers, hoping somehow that she might take his pain away.  
  
"Romana." Kurt says from behind her.  
  
Romana jumps and wipes the tears from her eyes before she turns around. "I- I'm sorry, Kurt. I got wrapped up in looking at these carvings." She tries not to look into his eyes, but he gently places one hand on her shoulder and the other beneath her chin.  
  
"Romana," he says as he nudges her chin to make her look him in the eyes. "All zis," he gestures to the wall with a nod of his head, "ist der past. Leave it vere it belongs, und don't vaste your tears on me." Kurt gently cups the side of her face with his hand and wipes the stray tear from her cheek with his finger. Kurt holds his breath as Romana leans into his palm, the light of the torches turning her hair to bright flame.  
  
"Nothing about you is ever wasted, Kurt." She opens her eyes to look at him with shining emerald pools, and he exhales in a whisper, his heart swelling with emotions he hasn't allowed himself to feel in a long time.  
  
"Romana."  
  
"As much as I would hate to interrupt you two lovebirds," Callisto says dryly, "a chamber has been set up for you two to rest. Later you and I need to talk, Nightcrawler, for your arrival has great importance to us." Kurt and Romana step away from each other like someone who has gotten too close to a searing flame. Romana quickly turns to hide the blush and look of disappointment in her face while Kurt straightens his robes.  
  
"What do you mean, Callisto?" he asks after clearing his throat. "How could I be important to the Morlocks?"  
  
"One of the fallen of the Mutant Massacre comes back to us in the robes of a priest? That itself holds great meaning, Nightcrawler. But the fact that you visited us on the eve of our most sacred ritual can only mean one thing: You must preside over the Ceremony of Light."  
---  
  
"Sie hast einen Vogel! Das ist unglaublich!" Kurt mutters as he paces back and forth in front of Romana in their room. After explaining to them both that the ritual was to take place at daybreak, Callisto escorted them to their quarters and was kind enough to leave them alone for a while. Romana sits herself on the edge of the small bed and follows Kurt with her eyes.  
  
"So what IS the Ceremony of Light that it's got your fur in such a tangle?" Romana asks jokingly, trying to catch Kurt off guard.  
  
Kurt stops his ranting with a "Vas?" and looks at Romana with a half-grin as he runs his fingers through his hair. "Ach, here I am ranting and raving, and you don't even know vat it's about! I am sorry, Romana." Kurt crosses his legs and sits down in a smooth motion on the floor, straightening his priest robes around him. He rests his elbows on his knees as he leans forward to talk. "From vat I have read from der records, a few years ago it vas thought zat all der Morlocks disappeared in a flood in der tunnels. It turned out zat a man named Mikhail who had incredible powers transported zem to a pocket dimension he called 'The Hill.' Zis vas a terrible place of forced trials und battles for der Morlocks, who eventually fought their way to der top to become part of Gene Nation, a group of mutant terrorists who vould come back into zis dimension und fight humanity. A strong woman named Storm came und performed der Ceremony of Light, vere you use der sunlight re-directed through many mirrors to enlighten der alley's beauty. Somehow zis opened up a portal to der Hill, vere she fought Mikhail und made him bring der Morlocks back, or so ve vere led to believe. Und now.now Callisto wants to conduct der ceremony again to open ze gate to zat hell zey used to call home, because she believes some of zem never made it back!"  
  
"This is all so amazing, Kurt," Romana says, her eyes wide as she stands up and spreads her hands out. "I have been around a long time, and I haven't heard such epic adventures in ages! How did you get involved in all this?"  
  
Kurt sighs as he hangs his head between his shoulders. "I met a man who had faith in a dream.a dream zat humanity could overcome it's fears und prejudices to create a vorld of peace." Kurt's voice trails off in a whisper," A fleeting dream."  
  
"You mean Xavier, don't you?" Romana says as she sits cross-legged in front of Kurt. "Don't shut me out, Kurt. You have helped me so much.let me help you now." She pleads as she places her hand over his on his knee.  
  
"Helped you?" Kurt asks in a growl as he lifts his head to stare at Romana. "How have I helped you, Romana? You came to me for aid, und vat did I do?" he asks, tapping his chest harshly with his hand. "I didn't believe you, und you had to go shoot yourself before I could! I joined Xavier's school because of der power of his faith, Romana. He made me believe zat humans und mutants could live together. Ven zat dream failed und I had to watch my friends die, I turned to my faith in God. I thought der church would allow me to cross der boundaries of hate und help people, but soon I was relegated to midnight vatches und candle tending like Quasimodo! Vat good is a person vithout faith, Romana? All I can do is vatch people I care about die." Kurt pleads, tears forming in his eyes.  
  
"Kurt." Romana says sadly as she intertwines her fingers with his, "You have been through so much.and you have spread yourself so thin! Your faith has been tested over and over till you feel like there's nothing left to believe in." Kurt chokes back a sob and clenches her hands briefly. "You have to know that it's enough to have faith, Kurt. Believe in yourself and what you can do for humanity, but don't set yourself up for failure by taking on the whole world! Change one at a time! You already started tonight by saving my life, Kurt." Romana squeezes his hands and tries to look him in the eye. "Selene would have killed us both if it weren't for you. You talk about having faith.well I have faith, too." Romana leans forward and places her cheek to his and whispers into his ear, "I have faith in you, Kurt." Kurt gasps and leans back slightly. Romana shivers as the feel of his fur rubs softly against her cheek, his lips brushing close to hers.  
  
"Romana.I." Kurt whispers, his breath like a butterfly kiss. Romana leans forward and for the briefest moment she feels the sweet pressure of his lips. when the knocking at the door causes Kurt to spring back and stand up. Romana sighs deeply as Kurt opens the door to converse with one of the Morlocks. -I know you're in there under all that guilt, Kurt.you can't hide from me forever, and I have all the time in the world.-  
  
Kurt turns from the Morlock at the door to Romana. "It's time." 


	7. Ritual

Ritual  
  
The Morlock leads them down the Alley, this time not full of activity, but numerous mirrors. They come to the end where they find all the remaining Morlocks gathered on each side of the tunnel, with Callisto standing between wearing a white tunic and holding a book. "The Ceremony of Light is the holiest of Morlock traditions," she begins as she turns to the various Morlocks. "When we were taken to the Hill, it was our darkest hour, rife with death and pain. We fought each other to survive, and escaped only by becoming cold-blooded killers. Thanks be to Storm, for she came to the Hill and freed us of our painful prison, and made the demon possessed Mikhail send us back."  
  
Callisto pauses for a moment as all the Morlocks whisper, "Thanks be to Storm."  
  
"But the demon lied, for not all the Morlocks were sent back to our world!" Callisto yells. "Tonight we are to fix the lies and mistakes of our past, by saving those that were left behind. Tonight I will go back to the Hill and save our brethren!" At her last words the Morlocks break into a loud cheer that echoes off the tunnel walls. "Tonight!" Callisto continues and pauses for a moment as the cheers die down, "Tonight I know my cause is true, for one of the X-Men who tried to save us in the past has come back to us in the form of a priest!" The cheers begin again, but Callisto quickly cuts them off. "This ceremony can only last for a short time, as the setting sun reflects off the mirrors placed in the Alley. When the sun sets completely, the gate will close." Callisto holds up the book in her hand and says, " That is why Nightcrawler will be reading from our book, so that those on the other side may here our call. Your voices shall join with his, and reach across dimensions to help me bring our children home!" Callisto walks up to the momentarily stunned Kurt and hands him the book. "We believe in you, Nightcrawler." Callisto turns again to the rest of the Morlocks. "Remember! Anything could be on the other side, so I want no one to come in after me. After the ceremony starts, we must keep it going till the end, for anyone left alive cannot wait the whole year it would take to conduct the ceremony again, for they would age 50 years! Places now!"  
  
Callisto turns to face the end of the alley as the rest of the Morlocks gather to the sides of the tunnel and hold hands. Romana catches a flicker of light out of the corner of her eye and turns to the rest of the tunnel. She sees the flicker again in the distance, and then closer again, till with a sudden woosh a tidal wave of light washes over them. Romana covers her eyes and turns back to Callisto, to see the outline of a doorway beginning to form in the Alley wall. Callisto raises her hands and begins to chant:  
Slender beams of light enter  
  
this darkened prison as I kneel,  
  
always lost, always alone,  
  
frozen here,  
  
waiting.  
  
Accusing forms wrought in panes of glass loom as  
  
dust dances in the air,  
  
forming an image in my mind,  
  
searing my darkened soul.  
  
A reflection on a clock's face.  
  
I raise my head, now defying  
  
this uncaring darkness.  
Not as wrapped in the ceremony as the others, Romana flinches as she hears what sounds like a fire alarm in the distance, coupled with a spine- wrenching scream. Romana heads back towards the tunnels, and she is nearly barreled over by Sally, who comes racing out of a tunnel at full speed. She careens into the wall of the tunnel, collapses to the ground, and drops her force shield. Romana runs to Sally and kneels in front of her to see if she's okay.  
"Attacked.some woman in black is killing the guards." Sally gasps out.  
--No! Not Selene again!- Romana looks around desperately, but she knows that the ceremony has started.-No one here can stand up to Selene, and she will kill them all to get to me.Callisto is willing to sacrifice her life for her family-Romana looks around at the Morlocks and smiles as her eyes fall on Kurt-How could I do any less for the ones I love?-  
"This has to end!" Romana tells herself. She runs to Kurt and grabs him in a desperate kiss. "Have faith in me," she pleads and runs off to the tunnels to face Selene alone.  
Still in shock, Kurt stares at Romana running down the tunnel. "Romana..vas are you doing? Romana!" he yells. He takes a step to follow her, but he is halted when one of the Morlocks grabs his arm and hisses, "The ceremony!"  
--I vanted to feel needed, to be able to help people.but now I am forced to choose between a people who are counting on me to help their family, und a woman zat frightens me with how much I feel for her.Gott im himmell!-Kurt closes his eyes tight and turns back to the ceremony. -I have faith in you, Romana. I only pray zat it's enough.--  
----- Romana runs down the twisting tunnels with one of the Morlock children's skateboards under her arm, a desperate plan forming in her mind. --I haven't waited this long to find you Kurt, only to stop now!-- "Selene! Come and get me, you bloodless bitch!" she yells into the dark, her taunt echoing off the dank tunnel walls.  
  
Out of the darkness an emaciated body falls to the ground like a rag doll. "I can hear you, my sweet. No need to yell." Selene steps into the dim light at the other end of the tunnel, her eyes aglow with the life force freshly stolen from the ill fated Morlock. "You realize I am going to have to make this painful since you made me come down here. You know how much I despise the sewers." She wipes her hands in disgust.  
  
"I had to make it interesting for you, Selene. I wouldn't want you to get bored." Romana says with a smirk as she clenches her fist, her nails digging into the soft skin of her palm. -Keep it together! Get her to follow you!- "But then, you couldn't pay attention if you won the lottery! And what about those heels? I could walk through quicksand and you still wouldn't catch up to me, you common-place, everyday, plain, OLD HAG!" she finishes in a scream.  
  
Selene's face twists in anger, her nostrils flaring and her eyes aflame with a red glow. Her fingers curve like claws as she shakes them in the air and yells, "COMMON?? OLD?? I will kill you with my own hands and drive my heels through your skull, you pathetic skin sack! Arrggghh!"  
  
--That's it-  
  
"Come and get me." Romana says calmly and runs down the tunnel, the sounds of Selene's boots clicking after her.  
  
----  
  
"Nightcrawler!" Callisto yells out. "Call them!"  
  
With a jolt Kurt remembers his purpose and starts to recite the words from the book, hoping in his heart that Callisto's faith in her Morlocks won't get them all killed by what he fears lie beyond. -That place was warped by Mikhail's powers and the energy being that possessed him for so long.who knows what could be there now?-  
  
" The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me  
lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet  
waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of  
righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk  
through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil,  
for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort  
me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my  
enemies; you have anointed my head with oil; my cup  
overflows. Surely goodness and kindness will follow me all  
the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the  
LORD forever. "  
  
Kurt repeats the words again, and the rest of the Morlocks join with him. Their voices rise with the words as Callisto walks toward the portal, when suddenly there is a shattering of wood as Romana flies out of one of the blocked off higher tunnels crouched on a skateboard. She grabs the nose and lifts up, steering it to the best of her ability over everyone and towards the portal. "NEIN!" Kurt screams as he realizes Romana's plan. Selene flies out of the tunnel after her and tackles Romana about her waist; Romana grabs hold of Selene with an iron grip and a sad but satisfied smile as the momentum of them both sends them flying through the portal and into the unknown. 


	8. Endgame

Endgame  
  
With a sickening squish they land on the other side of the portal and slide to a stop atop an overflowing mound of gray ooze. What could be called the sky is a green and yellow color like the world itself is ill. Distant rumblings and sounds of bubbling pools of ooze are the only noises in this desolate place, but none of that really matters to the two immortal women locked in a violent embrace atop the Hill. Romana is on her back in the sludge and just manages to bring her feet up to her waist as Selene makes a dive for her. She slams her boots into Selene's midsection and pushes with all her might, flipping Selene over her head and sliding down the mound of slime. -I have to time this right!-Romana thinks frantically as she counts down the seconds in her head. She turns back briefly to make sure the portal is still there, but should have known better than to turn her back on a woman scorned. She looks back just in time to get a face full of an energy blast from Selene that knocks her unconscious back into the slime. Selene charges up the slime mound and grabs Romana, this time straddling her waist as she wraps her hands around Romana's neck. She digs her nails into the skin and pushes Romana's head down into the slime, trying to choke and drown her in the muck.  
  
"I will take pleasure in killing you again and again, watching you regenerate and come back for more pain that I will gladly give! You will beg me for death, Eternal!" she screams. In Selene's anger she fails to notice the slime around Romana start to bubble faster, with a green tinge coming to the surface. Suddenly Romana's hand shoots up and grabs Selene's face, steadily forcing her back. Romana raises her face out of the ooze to show glowing green irises crackling with energy.  
  
"WHO SAID SHE WAS AN ETERNAL?" a powerful male voice asks from Romana's snarling lips.  
  
Her hand grips tighter around Selene's mouth as it begins to glow. Selene's eyes widen in panic as she feels the souls of the people she had absorbed straining to be free, the force of them pushing through her throat as the power from Romana's hand pulls them out of her body. Selene visibly begins to change, her skin losing its rosy color and turning a dull gray, her hair becoming brittle. Romana stands to her feet and forces Selene to her knees with the pressure of her hand. When it looks like the last of her energy might go, she lets go of Selene and watches in contempt as her body slides weakly to the ground.  
  
"You are nothing without the souls of your victims, vampire." Romana grunts and spits on Selene in disgust. Selene weakly reaches a thin hand out towards Romana's foot, but it falls short and plops into the slime. "Don't fret, woman. I won't leave you in this forsaken place alone." Romana breathes in deeply and exhales sharply, a stream of green energy flowing out of her mouth into the slime, along with the smoky wisps of six figures. The slime bubbles and the figures rise out of the slime, dripping with gray ooze. "The souls of your fellow Eternals will keep you company!" They growl with hatred and surround the weakened psychic vampire, who screams in fear as they sink back into the ooze and take Selene with them, her emaciated hand reaching out until it too disappears into the slime and they are gone. "Pitiful creature, your powers mean nothing to me! Romana IS eternal, and nothing such as you will interfere with my plans!" he yells.  
  
"ROMANA!" Kurt screams at the portal as Callisto holds him fast to keep him from following her inside.  
  
"We can't go in there!" she yells. "We don't even know what's over there anymore!"  
  
The bright sunlight that lit up the Alley is slowly starting to dim as the sun begins to move.  
  
"Look! The door is going to close!" a Morlock yells.  
  
"Kurt?" Romana's voice returns and her eyes lose the green glow as she turns to the portal. "I'm coming!" Romana takes a step towards the portal when a burst of energy shoots out of the slime a few feet away. -Selene? Could she still be alive?-Romana cringes away but notices that there is a hand reaching out of the slime, and it doesn't belong to a woman.without thinking she dives for the hand and pulls with all her might. -If there is someone still alive in all this mess, please let me save him!-Romana strains her muscles to the limit to get the body out in time. She notices the light getting darker around her and knows in the sinking pit that has become her heart that the portal is closing behind her. "I-won't-let-GO!" Romana screams and with the last word she pulls the unconscious body of a thin man with spiked hair and a patch over his eye into her arms. She lifts the man over her shoulder and trudges through the slime towards the ever- shrinking portal. --I won't let it end like this-it can't!-  
  
"KURT!!" Romana yells to the portal as her strength fails her and she falls to her knees, the pull of the sludge dragging her down. She reaches desperately towards the portal and feels the tingle of the light on her fingers, but she just can't pull the rest of her body through! "I believe. "  
  
Kurt bares his fangs in an angry snarl as he thinks of Romana spending eternity on the Hill when his feelings for her were just starting to grow. "Nein!" he yells. "I von't let you go!" Kurt teleports out of Callisto's arms and leaps at the portal, reaching his hands out to grab whatever is on the other side. He closes his eyes as he whispers, "Have faith in me, Romana."  
  
Callisto makes a grab for Kurt's tail as he disappears completely into the portal, now the size of a piece of paper. "You're a fool, preacher-man!" she yells in frustration as he slips through her fingers. She pounds the ground with her fist as she watches the last of the portal disappear. -It wasn't supposed to happen this way!-There are gasps behind her as the air pops around them and she can smell the familiar odor of brimstone tickle her nostrils. "Do you always wait till the last minute, Nightcrawler?!" Callisto grunts as she quickly wipes away a tear before she turns around to look at the slime covered pile of bodies. Ape quickly picks up the unconscious Morlock to take him to their infirmary.  
  
Ready to pass out from the strain of teleporting three people across an inter-dimensional barrier, the weakened Kurt smiles at the unconscious but breathing Romana cradled in his arms. "Der only vay to save a beautiful fraulien ist vith style."  
  
------------------- 


	9. Rest

Epilogue  
  
Kurt quietly walks through one of the Morlock tunnels dressed in black draw- string pants and a sleeveless tunic kindly provided to him after they got a look at his priest robes soaked in sludge. "I'm almost afraid to burn them," Sally said as she held out the offending garment from her by a corner.  
  
Kurt had slept for hours to recover his strength after teleporting Romana and the other Morlock to safety. He was barely able to see the Alley through what was left of the portal, but it was enough to get them home. -It's amazing what you can accomplish when someone believes in you, isn't it? You could get to like this feeling- He rounds the corner and almost runs into Callisto, who was coming out of one of the side chambers.  
  
"Nightcrawler, I was just looking for you."  
  
"Please, Callisto. I am not vith der X-Men anymore. Call me Kurt." He says with a smile. "I vas looking for you as vell. How is your patient?"  
  
"His name is Erg, and all things considered, he is doing rather well. He was fortunate to have the ability to absorb energy into his body; that must have helped him survive in that place. He is still unconscious, and will most likely need a lot of help, but he is alive and home, and we couldn't have done it without you. Thank you, Kurt."  
  
Knowing how hard it is for her to accept help from others, let alone to acknowledge and thank them for it, Kurt clasps her on the shoulder and smiles. "I am your friend, Callisto, as well as a friend to the Morlocks." Callisto grins slightly and nods. "I only took a leap of faith und managed to come out alive on der other side. Ze real person ve should be thanking ist Romana. She villingly sacrificed herself to rid us of Selene und save one of your flock."  
  
"Yes," Callisto agrees. "Shaper is already working on carving your story into our history for all Morlocks to remember."  
  
A serious expression falls over Kurt's face as he asks quietly, "How is Romana doing, Callisto? Is she still sleeping?"  
  
"Yes, however fitfully. Her sleep has been plagued by nightmares that make me wonder just what she saw on the other side," Callisto says thoughtfully as she glances down the hall at Romana's room. "Perhaps it is best we never know. Go to her, and perhaps you can bring her some peace, Kurt. You both deserve it for what you did for us." She clasps his forearm and squeezes briefly before she lets go and walks down the tunnel.  
  
Kurt continues to Romana's chamber and sees her asleep on her bed, dressed in a white shift with a sheet tangled around her waist. Her head tosses back and forth as she clenches the sheets and moans, "Don't leave me again.mama.poppa."  
  
Kurt sits gently beside her on the bed and places his hand on her forehead to check for fever. -How long have you been alone, liebchen? You villingly sacrificed yourself for der Morlocks.vas it because of der family you lost?- Romana reaches out in her sleep with her hand and moans again, this time making Kurt's heart leap painfully into his throat.  
  
"I believe in you, Kurt.."  
  
He gently takes her hand in his, wrapping her slim fingers around his larger ones. Romana smiles and drifts into a calm sleep, cradling his hand against her cheek. -Ach, Romana, you have given me so many things to think about. You are a beautiful woman, yet you are so dangerous! You scare me to my very soul, for your light has forced zis creature of shadow to confront his demons, und you have revived feelings I thought I had given up. Vat am I to do?-  
  
"Believe in yourself.believe in me.because I have faith in you," Romana's words ring in Kurt's heart.  
  
"Sometimes," Kurt says to himself as he lies down beside her in the bed, holding her hand between them, "sometimes faith is enough."  
  
--------------  
  
**Whew! Thanks all for sticking with me while I finished this thing! I hope you all liked it, as it was a work close to my heart. I am already working on another story concerning Kurt and Romana, so those of you who liked what you read, please stay tuned and be sure to check back on my website! www.angelfire.com/music4/neopia0 ** Auf Wiederzehn!! --Syreene 


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